As board exams
approach, Indian students find themselves trapped in an annual cycle of
relentless pressure, sleepless nights, and mounting anxiety. The weight of
expectations—academic competition, societal validation, and parental
aspirations—has turned exams into a high-stakes battleground where success is
measured in marks, not in learning or personal growth.
A 2022 NCERT
survey revealed that 80% of students in classes 9-12 experience exam-related
anxiety. This statistic is alarming but hardly surprising. The signs are
everywhere—students grappling with headaches, dizziness, nausea, and even panic
attacks. Yet, the system continues to glorify perseverance over mental
well-being, reducing students to mere performers in an unforgiving academic
spectacle.
Educationists and
psychiatrists rightly urge students to manage stress, but the burden cannot
rest on their shoulders alone. The real issue lies in an educational culture
that prioritizes rote learning and rank-based success over holistic
development. In many Indian households, a student’s worth is dictated by their
board exam scores, pushing them into an abyss of self-doubt and emotional
turmoil. When failure is equated with disgrace, the consequences are
dire—ranging from declining mental health to, in extreme cases, tragic loss of
life.
Parents play a
crucial role in alleviating this pressure. Emotional support should not come as
an afterthought but as a constant assurance that a child’s identity is not
confined to exam results. Schools, too, must foster an environment where
students feel valued beyond their academic performance. Teachers need to shift
their focus from merely completing syllabi to integrating stress-relief
strategies and providing psychological support.
More importantly,
India’s education system requires urgent reform. The excessive emphasis on
board exams as the defining moment of a student’s future must change.
Alternative evaluation methods—continuous assessment, skill-based learning, and
vocational training—should be prioritized. Mental health education should be
embedded in the curriculum, ensuring that students are equipped with coping
mechanisms rather than merely academic formulas.
The conversation
around exam stress must extend beyond last-minute coping strategies. It is time
to dismantle the culture of fear surrounding board exams and build a system
that nurtures intellectual curiosity without compromising mental well-being.
Until then, students will remain prisoners of an outdated system, fighting
battles that should never have existed in the first place.
